Johan Tiedemann
Introduction speech by Johan Tiedemann at the conference "Common Concern of the Arctic" in Ilulissat, Greenland.
Introduction speech by Johan Tiedemann
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Dear Participants,
On behalf of the Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, it is a great pleasure for me to open this Conference: ”Common Concern for the Arctic”, and to welcome you to this beautiful town of Ilulissat.
I hope you had a good journey here and that you are now ready to start our work.
Sweden is a member of the Nordic Council of Ministers, of the European Union, and of the Arctic Council.
The Arctic Council was established in 1996 as a forum for circumpolar cooperation among the eight Arctic states and the, then three but now six, organizations of indigenous peoples, the Permanent Participants.
The Nordic Council of Ministers has had Arctic issues on its agenda since 1996, and has only last week approved its third cooperation programme for the Arctic region. It is natural and logical since all the five Nordic countries have Arctic territory of their own.
The European Union has recently started to take a more systematic interest in the Arctic. However, the European Union has dealt with single Arctic issues now and then ever since Denmark became a member.
The Union has also over the years taken many policy decisions that have affected the Arctic, without explicitly considering Arctic aspects when the decisions were made. We welcome the Commission´s ongoing preparations of a ”communication” on EU interests in the Arctic.
The Swedish Nordic Council of Ministers Presidency sees this Conference as a very timely opportunity to forge synergies among the Arctic Council, the NCM and the EU and to improve the way that they can work together on Arctic issues.
After this brief introduction, I will now sit down and listen to the presentations that we will hear today and the panel discussions that we will have tomorrow. I am sure they will be very interesting and informative.
The proceedings of this Conference will be lead by a Conference Chair who is perfectly suited for the task.
Let me welcome to this podium Ambassador Hans Corell, former Legal Counsel to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who has extensive experience in public diplomacy and a strong personal interest in the Arctic.
Thank you for your attention!
Welcome Hans, I now leave the Conference proceedings in your hands.
